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The Peace Keepers or "Keepers" are the first line of military might of Elysia. With no significant standing Elysian army, they constitute both the police force of the country, as well as the elite military leaders in wartime. Most know the Keepers as the enforcers of the law, tireless public servants with an esoteric fraternal order among them and roots stretching back to the founding of Elysia. Peace Keepers answer only to the Crown itself, and thus are seen as entirely independent from the squabbles of Noble Houses and their armies. Keeper units are broken down into Constabularies, which are made up of between 4 and 10 Precincts. Each Precinct is headed by a Lieutenant, who reports to the head of his or her Constabulary, the Constable. Constabularies across the Kingdom are headed in turn by the Constable-Commander in Aesir.

Constables are effectively martial leaders of region. In times of peace their are Police Commissioners and must legally report and defer to the power of Mayors, but not to Nobles. In times of war they are military commanders of combined Army, Navy and militia forces, and together with Admirals and Sky Captains of their regions, form the cooperative High Command, who then answer only to the Crown.

The Origin of the Peace Keepers

During the period following King Xavier I's revolution against the original Novari Occupation force, it was apparent that the fledgling nation would need to retain a military force in the event of future engagements. Much of Xavier's original Republican Army, made up of crude but functional Militias had civilian work to return to; families, farms, and businesses had to run once more in the new Republic.

It was then that four visionary officers, all Daruni, presented Xavier with their new idea - to form an order of constitutional police, who would endorse the Eastern Star faith of Elysia's colonial citizens, and swear an to do no harm to the people. This order became, in time, the Peace Keeper's Order, and the Oath became the lengthy Pledge of Peace. Among the many requirements of the Pledge are codes of conduct regarding the arrest and detention of criminals, as well as interrogation techniques, prohibitions against torture and deferral to the Light Religion and Constitution in all cases.

The ideas were revolutionary to modern thinking of a military force that was designed not only to protect political interests and borders, but to assist in the protection of its citizens, its commerce, its travel lanes, and even to work to improve the overall quality of life for all Elysians. To this effect, Peace Keepers are just as their name describes - they keep the peace as only can be interpreted as the protection of -all- Elysian lives and liberty. This makes the Peace Keepers a military body entirely independent from the whims of Nobles. While knights can be ordered to do things contrary to their vows by their Liege Lords, Keepers cannot - they answer only to their Commanders, and to the Crown.

Xavier, well established in his reign, adopted the system emphatically with the title of Peace Keeper being bestowed on this new military. The Populist appeal of this new force strongly aligned with the citizens was explosively popular, and is said to have been no small part in Xavier's continued public approval until his death.

Within a few years, the myriad local Miltias were completely replaced by Peace Keeper precincts. The Order had multiple council halls, two academies specifically built for the purpose of instilling the loyalty and abilities necessary, numerous precincts as headquarters, and a very functioning governing system to handle both civilian and internal affairs.
The early Peace Keepers were dominated by the Daruni presence left over from the war, but over the years, those from all species, walks of life, and national backgrounds have since become Peace Keepers.

The Peace Keepers of Today

Following the Occupation and Treaty periods, the Peace Keeper caste only superficially resembles its former incarnation. They are now generally referred as the abridged form "Keepers", and face more than subtle changes to their mandate. As a condition of the Treaty of Cherry signed recently by all parties, Keeper precincts are forced now to accept known Novari and other foreigners into their ranks, including the sensitive training Keepers receive. This experiment began with the Elysian City Keepers and Vanir KeepersThere is rumour of dissent among some precincts, though being so overstretched in these tumultuous times, it's said most stations are simply too busy to form a proper mutiny.

All Keepers are required to attend one of the Academies and swear the Pledge. Their training is rigorous; during times of war, it is said that one Peace Keeper soldier is worth ten conscripted militiamen (many of whom would be simple farmers or tradesfolk in peacetime).